Match-box.



Patented Oct. 7, I902,

E. ALTIMUS.

MATCH BOX.

(Application filed .Lpr. 10, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLSVORTII ALTIMUS, OF A'IWVOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,551, dated October '7, 1902.

'Application filed April 10 1902. Serial No. 102,223. (No model- To all wh-mn it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ELLsWoRTH ALTIMUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atwood, in the county of Armstrong, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to match-boxes, and more particularly to the class of single-delivery match-boxes, the object of the invention being to provide a cheap and simple device in which a number of matches may be held and from which they may be successively discharged, other objects and advantages of the invention having reference to the specific details of structure, which will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar partsin the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the match-box. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the match-box. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the match-box. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the match-box, the positions of the covered openings being indicated in dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings, the present match-box comprises a bracketincluding the base 5 and the upwardly-directed arm 6, through which may be engaged a screw for holding the bracket, with the box, upon any suitable support. Centrally of the base is a perforation 7, upwardly through which is passed the headed bolt 8, and this bolt engages the cylindrical central core 9 of the cylindrical body 10 of the box. YVithin the cylindrical body 10 and concentric therewith are disposed a number of cylindrical partitions 11 of different diameters, and which partitions are connected and held in proper spaced relations by means of the radial partitions 12, the body with its several partitions being rotatable with the bolt. In the present instance there are shown three of the cylindrical partitions, so that four annular chambers are formed, and each of these annular chambers is divided by said radial partitions into four arc-shaped sections, the annular chambers being shown at 13, 14, 15, and 16.

A top or cover 17 is provided for the body of the match-box, and this top is held in place upon the-upper end of the body by means of the thumb-n lit 18, which is engaged with the end of the bolt.

In the bottom of the box, which is formed by the base of the bracket, are four openings 19, 20, 21, and 22, one of which opens into each of the annular chambers of the box, and each of these openings is provided with a pivoted cover of spring metal having a lug on its upper face which enters the opening and lies flush with the upper face of the base of the bracket to prevent the ends of the matches with which the chambers are filled from catching in the openings that are covered.

In practice after the box has been filled by standing the matches on end, so that they will rest upon the upper face of the base of the bracket, which is thebottom of the box, one of the covers is moved to uncover an opening, and the match directly above the opening will drop therethrough. When the next match is to be withdrawn, the box is rotated until the match is moved to the opening and is precipitated therethrough. When one complete rotation has been given to the body of the box, all of the matches in the compartments of the chamber with which the uncovered opening communicates will be discharged,'after which another opening may be uncovered and the operation repeated to discharge the matches from the compartments of the corresponding chamber.

It will be understood that in practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion.

What is claimed isl. A match-box comprising a bottom having a plurality of perforations therein, one of which is in the center thereof, and having a projecting finger upon its periphery", said finger being bent upwardly and having a perforation in the upwardly-directed portion, a threaded pivot-pin fixed in the central perforation, a cylindrical body portion having ICO an open end and a centrally-perforated closed end disposed with the open end directed downwardly and resting upon the bottom and with the central perforation of the closed end engaged with the pivot-pin, said body portion having a plurality of annular concentric compartments adapted for registration With the perforations in the bottom, a thumb-nut forengagement with the threads of the pivot-pin and pivoted covers to close all but the central perforation of the bottom, said covers having projections upon their upper faces adapted to enter and fill the perforations with their upper faces lying flush with the upper face of the bottom.

2. A match-box comprising a bottom, a hollow body portion rotatably mounted upon the bottom and including a plurality of c'oii= centric match-receiving annular chambers, said bottom having perforations therethrongh each communicating with a chamber and the cover for each opening pivoted to the under side of the bottom and havinga projection adapted to engage and fill the opening and lie flush with the upper face of the bottom to prevent engagement of the 'ends of the matches in the opening when the cover is in place and the body is rotated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLSlVORTI-I ALTIMUS. \Vitnesses:

FINDLEY P. WOLFE, W. A. MCADOO. 

